Flux retriever



11, 5 s. J. STANLEY ETAL 2,390,560

FLUX RETRIEVER Filed Ma y 28, 1943 Ego INVENTORJ: I'm/var J'.J7ANLY ANDJZSOIV E. N51. CH, 3n.

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Patented Dec. 11, 1945 FLUX RETRIEVER Sidney J. Stanley and Jason E.Welch, Sr., Turtletown, Tenn.

Application May 28, 1943, Serial No. 483,943 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-8) Thisinvention relates to improvements in flux retriever and more especiallysuch a device adapt ed for use in connection with electric weldingapparatus.

It is well known that with such apparatus it has been customary tosupply an excess amount of flux to the work. Some of this flux was usedin the welding process; and the remainder was recovered for further use.

Heretofore, it has been customary to recover the flux by means of asuction hose such as is commonly used with domestic vacuum cleaners.

The suction hose was employed to recover the excess flux from the workand deposit it in a bag or suitable container from which it was laterremoved and put into the feed hopper of the welding apparatus forregular use. This method of recovery required transfer of the flux fromthe recovery hopper to the feed hopper. One of the features of theinvention is the provision of a single hopper operating both as arecovery hopper and a feed hopper, thus making the recovery and use ofthe flux continuous, so that new flux must be added to the hopper onlyto replace that which was actually used in the welding process. The fluxemployed is ordinarily a granular substance resembling, for example,powdered or granulated borax or other substances or mixtures. Otherfeatures and advantages will appear more fully as we proceed with ourspecification.

In that form of device embodying the features of our invention, shown-inthe accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view; and Fig.2 is a view taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, It may indicate the work to be welded. Forexample, this may consist of two plates lO-i ll with their edgesadjacent each other to form the Joint H which is to be welded.

The welding apparatus itseli is only partially shown as this may be ofany well known construction. It is suflicient to indicate here merelythe carriage l2, the electrodes l3-I3, and the electric supply cableI30, it being understood that the welding arc is formed between thelower ends of the electrodes l3 and the work itself, the latter formingthe other electrode.

N indicates the feed hopper for the flux l5. This hopper is providedwith a gravity feed pipe l8 leading from the bottom of the hopper to thework. In the welding operation the carriage l2 proceeds in the directionindicated by the arrow and an excess of flux I is supplied from thehopper through the feed pipe I to the work It. The

of the hopper adapted to be connected to any flux' not consumed in thewelding operation remains on the work, as indicated by ISa, followingthe passage of the carriage, and this is sucked up from the work by thenozzle H on the suction recovery pipe [8.

it indicates an air withdrawal pipe at the top suitable suction means,not shown, such as, for example, the ordinary suction fan on a domesticvacuum cleaner. The recovery pipe l8 leads to a point near the top ofthe hopper l4 and is covered by a baille 20spaced from the top of thepipe and held in place by the bars 2 i. This baflle is also preferablycovered by another baille 22 spaced therefrom.

. 21 indicates an annular screen surrounding the baille 22 and spacedtherefrom, as shown in Figure 1. The suction hose l9 enters the space orchamber 24 inside of, this screen 23.

y In the operation of the device, sufllcient suction is maintained inthe pipe I 9 to produce sumclent subatmospheric pressure in the top ofthe hopper I 4 to produce a current or flow of air moving upwardlythrough the recovery pipe I. with sufllcient velocity to withdraw excessflux lia from the work i0 and deposit it in the hopper II. The bailles20 and 22, and the screen 23 prevent the flux from being drawn out ofthe hopper by the suction pipe I. The flux is heavy enough so that whenit strikes the baflies 20 and 22 it falls downwardly in the hopper ontop of the supply therein. It is to be understood that when the currentof air leaves the top of the pipe II in the hopper it spreads out andits velocity is sufliciently reduced to cause deposit of the recoveredflux in the bottom or the hopper It so that it-is not even drawnupwardly against the screen 23. There is. always sufllcient flux H5 inthe hopper and in the feed pipe it to form suflicient weight andsumcient head so that flux is not drawn upwardly from the feed pipe Itby the subatmospheric pressure in the top of the hopper. It is to beunderstood that the suction is sufficient to maintain a flow of airthrough the recovery pipe I 8 and cause recovery of flux from the workand deposit of the same in the hopper, but not sufllcient to pull upflux from the bottom of the hopper or the feed pipe It. If the recoverypipe I8 should ever become solidly filled with flux it might benecessary to stop the suction, empty the same, and then start thesuction again, being sure that a current or flow of air is continuouslymaintained through the recovery pipe ll in order to get the benefit ofthe dynamic force or such flow of air, and care should be exerieedingilux iromthe hopper cised that the nozzle 11 never picks up enough fluxIla to completely clog the same and shut oi! the flow oi air through therecovery pipe- II. It should also be kept in mind that a suiiicientamount oi flux It must be maintained in the feed pipe 18 and in thebottom oi the hopper M at all times to prevent the suction from drawingany flux up from the feed pipe. Ii these precautions are observed, therecan be continuous use oi the machine with continuous recovery of theexcess flux through the pipe I8 and deposit oi the same in the hopperwhile simultaneously through the ieed pipe I 8 to the work.

At intervals, however, additional new flux must be supplied to thehopper It. This can be done by removing the cover 25. 20 indicates acleaner for the cloth screen.

While we have shown and described a certain embodiment oi our invention,it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications.Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be madewithout departing from a,seo,seo

the spirit and scope oi the invention as in the appended claim. in whichit is our intention to claim all novelty inherent in our inven-' tion asbroadly as permissible, in view oi the prior art.

What we claim Letters Patent, is:

In an electrical welding apparatus including a mechanism for ieedinz ametallic electrode toward metal work ior welding, ieeding means iorsupplying flux material to the metal work. said ieeding means includinga closed internally unrestricted flux hopper having a gravity ieed pipeleading from the bottom thereoi to the work, a recovery pipe leadingirom the work to the top as new, and desire to secure by oi the hopper,and means ior producing a vacuum within the hopper suilicient to reclaimmaterial through the recovery pipe without interiering with the ieed oiflux through the gravity SIDNEY J. STANLEY. JASON E. WELCH, SR.

